Memories such as Joe Namath running off the field in Miami with his right index finger pointed to the sky after the New York Jets quarterback had stunned the world with a Super Bowl III upset of the Baltimore Colts.
Then there’s Kirk Gibson hobbling around the bases after hitting a walk-off home run for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 World Series.
Famous Dodgers announcer Vin Scully called the moment on television by saying, “the impossible has happened.”
Braves fans will never forget Sid Bream sliding across home plate to give Atlanta a ninth-inning victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates and a trip to the 1992 World Series.
The sound of the late Skip Carey’s voice can still be heard describing pinch-hitter Francisco Cabrera’s game-winning hit.
“The 2-1. Swung, line drive, left field! One run is in! Here comes Bream! Her’s throw to the plate! He is ... safe! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win!”
For me there’s another sports upset moment that I had the opportunity to relive on Friday night in the Ridgeland High School library with the 1986 Georgia Class AAA state basketball champion Rossville Lady Bulldogs.
It was hard to fight back the emotion of watching the first UCTV sports production of its kind on the big screen with the champions.
It seemed like just yesterday when Rossville’s Kristin Jones Bradley tossed the ball inbounds to guard Susan Quarles at Georgia Tech and she dribbled the game away in the backcourt before throwing the basketball high into the air in jubilation.
Just as I said during the telecast, “It’s Rocky VI from Alexander Memorial Coliseum!”
Quarles acted as if she had been directed by punching about three times to signify winning the basketball fight of her life.
Five times previously that season Coach Danny Vest’s Ringgold Lady Tigers defeated Coach Sharon Vantrease and her Lady Bulldogs.
Never in the history of the Georgia High School Association had two teams from the same region met for the state championship.
The Ringgold team was the invincible force.
The Lady Tigers were like the Titanic as in the ship that couldn’t be sunk.
“They had beaten me 14 consecutive times,” Vantrease said. “Ringgold was the Taj Mahal and we were trying to get there.”
Rossville is the last women’s basketball team from Northwest Georgia to win a state championship.
“It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me,” Vantrease said.
Longtime Northwest Georgia basketball referee Frank Seabolt remembers the Ringgold and Rossville battles well. Seabolt said he and the late Herman Beagles officiated two of the six games played between the two schools during the 1985-1986 basketball season.
“Ringgold was loaded,” Seabolt said. “The Tigers lost only one regular season game that year and I think Rossville lost seven.
“The games were some of the best games I ever officiated and it was an honor to do them,” Seabolt added. “Both teams had some of the finest players I ever saw and they were well coached too.”
The Rossville state championship players were introduced between the Ridgeland and Ringgold boys’ and girls’ games this past Friday and received a standing ovation.
The team stays in touch and a strong bond remains between each member of the team.
The Lady Bulldogs now have another battle on their hands as the team is on a mission to fight breast cancer.
Star guard Kim Shropshire, who was the Player of the Game in the state finals, Kristin’s mother Claudia Jones, and former assistant coach Krista Seckinger all are fighting breast cancer.
Quarles called Monday to ask if she could get a copy of the state championship game and if it would be okay to sell copies and give money to help in the fight.
In my time as a sports reporter I’ve covered many events from World Series to Super Bowls and even snuck in a day at the Masters.
Nevertheless, Rocky VI at Alexander Memorial Coliseum is to this day the most amazing sporting event I have ever been involved in.
Post a Comment